Advice on feel

[Ringthane]

I need some advice on feel as it applies to necks. I have three Classic Vibe Strats, two Indonesian and one Chinese, and I really like the necks on them. They fit my hand well and I don't find myself having trouble fretting them or making chords. In the last week, I bought a 2007 made in India Vintage Modified Strat. It's the sunburst one with the black pickguard. I bought it to set up as an SRV Strat so I wouldn't have to change the pickguard or pickups. I really like it - the body is in almost new condition, the pickups sound amazing, but I'm having a problem with the neck. It's supposed to be a 42mm nut width, but it just doesn't feel like it. It feels slightly smaller - so much so that I'm having trouble making open chords at the nut (like C, F, and E) because my big fingers feel like they're missing the strings. So I'm consciously thinking about the chords, and not letting the music flow.

Has anyone else had this problem, and what did you do? I should stress that the neck is not uncomfortable or painful to play. It's just a little smaller than I like, and like I said, I think it's impeding my playing. I really don't want to return the guitar, so I'm looking for advice from people here. I could swap the neck with a Classic Vibe neck, but I'm aware from experience that this could change the sound of the guitar as a whole (I've done it before and it improved a bad guitar, but since this one sounds so good as is, I don't want to lose that). And maybe it's the string spacing? But it feels like the neck, not the string spacing. This is my first VM, so I don't know what they feel like.

So what should I do? What would you do? I have a feeling I already know the answer - I can have a pickguard put on another guitar, I can change pickups, but feel (especially neck feel) is one thing you can't change easily. Would you change the neck? Or put up with the slight inconvenience? Or just return the guitar and maybe get another Classic Vibe instead? There's one about 45 minutes from me - I could return this one and get that one and only be out about $40. So what's my best option here? What would you do - anyone? Doesn't have to be the same models or Squiers or whatever. Any advice is welcome.

 

[Afishman9]

If you've just had it a few days, play the heck out of it throughout the return period and see if it is still a concern. I say this because it seems it checks all the other boxes for you.

 

[Seamus OReally]

I have a rule about things that don’t feel right… like an automobile seat, a bad piano track, or a guitar neck: If you don’t like it now, you will hate it in a year.

 

[Ringthane]

Yeah, I'm thinking it's probably going to go back. I really like it, but the feel is just off enough that it's bothering me. And I'm that kind of person - if I don't enjoy it now, I won't even pick it up in a month. Plus I could really use the money. I'll have to get something at a later time for this one, I think. My birthday's in a month and a half. Maybe I'll see what's out there then and go for it.

 

[Seamus OReally]

I really wanted to buy a Honda Accord Coupe. It looked great, handled great, had a VTEC 6-cylinder engine and had some real pep. I loved everything about it. But the seat belt hit me at an uncomfortable place on my nrck, and it couldn’t be adjusted. So I ended up with an Accord sedan, which had an adjustable point for the shoulder belt. The coupe was way sexier. But that belt would have driven me crazy.

 

[Bob the builder]

Had a few I tried getting used to
Never did, they're gone
Too skinny of a neck makes my hand cramp up & too fat don't work for me either

 

[Mr Jagsquire]

Had a few I tried getting used to
Never did, they're gone
Too skinny of a neck makes my hand cramp up & too fat don't work for me either

Same here, fixed neck Gretsch that I did some upgrades to, but just never got on with the skinny flat D neck. I did nut work, fret level, crown and polish, changed for a roller bridge and pickups changed twice, but nothing could make that skinny neck fatter, so I sold it. I should have sent it back as soon as I got it instead of wasting money and my time doing the work over 4-5 years and then never playing it.

That's why I'm now very reluctant to buy a guitar sight unseen. Also why I tend to dismiss the idea of various Squier options as they don't seem to have a fat enough neck for me. If I have to buy another neck, then I might as well just buy a guitar that already has one I like.

 

[The_idiot]

If you are particular about a certain thing I don’t think that particularity is likely to go away. There are probably many guitars that will suit your preference. Get one of those. Trying to make this one fit sounds like a more difficult solution than returning it and trying a bunch of guitars to find one that feels right.

Maybe online is not the best approach for you given that feel is not something that you can suss out over the internet.

Good luck.

 

[peglegleg]

Put the neck from one of your other Strats on it.....failing that if it's not an option,send it back.Either way no need to worry.

 

[wooders]

Check the nut width and the string spacing at the nut.
It may be as simple as getting a new nut, that matches the string spacing of the other starts.
It may not. Worth checking though

 

[LTB07]

I need some advice on feel as it applies to necks. I have three Classic Vibe Strats, two Indonesian and one Chinese, and I really like the necks on them. They fit my hand well and I don't find myself having trouble fretting them or making chords. In the last week, I bought a 2007 made in India Vintage Modified Strat. It's the sunburst one with the black pickguard. I bought it to set up as an SRV Strat so I wouldn't have to change the pickguard or pickups. I really like it - the body is in almost new condition, the pickups sound amazing, but I'm having a problem with the neck. It's supposed to be a 42mm nut width, but it just doesn't feel like it. It feels slightly smaller - so much so that I'm having trouble making open chords at the nut (like C, F, and E) because my big fingers feel like they're missing the strings. So I'm consciously thinking about the chords, and not letting the music flow.

Has anyone else had this problem, and what did you do? I should stress that the neck is not uncomfortable or painful to play. It's just a little smaller than I like, and like I said, I think it's impeding my playing. I really don't want to return the guitar, so I'm looking for advice from people here. I could swap the neck with a Classic Vibe neck, but I'm aware from experience that this could change the sound of the guitar as a whole (I've done it before and it improved a bad guitar, but since this one sounds so good as is, I don't want to lose that). And maybe it's the string spacing? But it feels like the neck, not the string spacing. This is my first VM, so I don't know what they feel like.

So what should I do? What would you do? I have a feeling I already know the answer - I can have a pickguard put on another guitar, I can change pickups, but feel (especially neck feel) is one thing you can't change easily. Would you change the neck? Or put up with the slight inconvenience? Or just return the guitar and maybe get another Classic Vibe instead? There's one about 45 minutes from me - I could return this one and get that one and only be out about $40. So what's my best option here? What would you do - anyone? Doesn't have to be the same models or Squiers or whatever. Any advice is welcome.

I had a 2016 SG Standard. The neck was two narrow on it and I could never bond to it and sold it a year later.

 

[Scott Baxendale]

I need some advice on feel as it applies to necks. I have three Classic Vibe Strats, two Indonesian and one Chinese, and I really like the necks on them. They fit my hand well and I don't find myself having trouble fretting them or making chords. In the last week, I bought a 2007 made in India Vintage Modified Strat. It's the sunburst one with the black pickguard. I bought it to set up as an SRV Strat so I wouldn't have to change the pickguard or pickups. I really like it - the body is in almost new condition, the pickups sound amazing, but I'm having a problem with the neck. It's supposed to be a 42mm nut width, but it just doesn't feel like it. It feels slightly smaller - so much so that I'm having trouble making open chords at the nut (like C, F, and E) because my big fingers feel like they're missing the strings. So I'm consciously thinking about the chords, and not letting the music flow.

Has anyone else had this problem, and what did you do? I should stress that the neck is not uncomfortable or painful to play. It's just a little smaller than I like, and like I said, I think it's impeding my playing. I really don't want to return the guitar, so I'm looking for advice from people here. I could swap the neck with a Classic Vibe neck, but I'm aware from experience that this could change the sound of the guitar as a whole (I've done it before and it improved a bad guitar, but since this one sounds so good as is, I don't want to lose that). And maybe it's the string spacing? But it feels like the neck, not the string spacing. This is my first VM, so I don't know what they feel like.

So what should I do? What would you do? I have a feeling I already know the answer - I can have a pickguard put on another guitar, I can change pickups, but feel (especially neck feel) is one thing you can't change easily. Would you change the neck? Or put up with the slight inconvenience? Or just return the guitar and maybe get another Classic Vibe instead? There's one about 45 minutes from me - I could return this one and get that one and only be out about $40. So what's my best option here? What would you do - anyone? Doesn't have to be the same models or Squiers or whatever. Any advice is welcome.

Just quit…..

Compare the nut string spacing.